[kbennkc]

I’ve always liked Merle for his blunt honesty

I heard him flat out tell Art Bell he had never been in prison, what he had heard and read was only PR hype. Blunt enough for me.

[andy58-in-nh]

I never heard that, but it's surprising, considering he gave several interviews in the early 70's in which he openly talked about his time in prison, including a stint in San Quentin for a botched robbery. In fact, I recall that it was during a stretch in solitary confinement that he decided to turn his life around. Interesting and strange. He's not been shy about his past - at least in the past...

[Liberty Valance]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merle_Haggard
He was in prison. He was also pardoned by California Gov. Ronald Reagan.